Little Falls transcript., 1887-03-18
THREE. d lNGHERED i / 3 !, JOHNNY,
BY ". wHlTwoRTH.

When he first. came into Whitbeck's 8
organ factory he was one ofthe oldest
looking young chaps ! ever saw. Not
that ! knew what made him so out Of
the common run. It seemed, in q sort
of way. to be ali over him. At tho
time thought there was cast in
one OF his eyes. But,in reality there
wasn't. His light-colored hair grew
in rough tufts, sticking up in the odd
est manner; and he had shambling,
loose.put-together appearance. agood
deal as if it would be the easiest thing
in the world to disjoint himself and
set the separate pieces to one side
without the least trouble or incon-
venience.
But the oldest thing of all was
Johnny's-Johnny Liebenthal was
his right name, but he was called just
Johnny-the oldest thing about him
was his laugh. He seemed to laugh all
on one side Of his face. To save my
neck couldn't have told why. Then,
he had only three fngures-or rather,
two fingers and thumb--on his left
hand. The middle fingers had been
cut off close to the palm.
That was how he got the name of
"rhree- fingered Johnny" He GOT it
on the spot, The first day he showed
up in the factory, from little Smagg
the comical coot from California. And
right away it was decided that he was
especially intended to be the standing
butt Of the shop.
''Three fingered Johnny" was the
opening shot, followed by O. continu-
GUS peal Of slnrs and rasping, rough
Jokes. "His eyes buzzing round,
looking six ways for Sunday" one
shouted. Then another would howl
"Oh, sciss ors! see him laugh, one side
OF his jaw left-handed!" And a third
one: "Sam, borrow one of his legs for
shoernaker's sign; it only hangs by
awire.'
Unfortunately for Johnny, it was
quickly discovered that he was ex-
tremeiy sensitive, and from this he be-
came pegged at ten times more az
SInS dIuISiy, uAtA IAAo pOOI Adu 3 1I0
was q burden to him.
Hit him again! He's got no friends.
This from Smaggy, at the close Of a.
set spell of roasting that had almost
driven Johnny wild. He was like an
animal at bay among pack of saw
age dogs, utterly powerless to help
himself, for Borlag, the foreman, who
should have interfered in his behalf,
took sneaking delight in watching the
torture, and seized every sly oppor-
tunity to "egg it on"
Poor Johnny; he was only a little
over twenty years old, and had un-
doubtedly been kicked about and cow
ed down till he was afraid to show
defiant resentment of the shameful
treatment.
One day when he had been more
than usually goaded he ran up stairs
into the room OF George Fanch, one
of the tuners, the moment the steam
whistle blew the evening hour OF quit
ting.
Fanch was the foremost man in the
shop. He'd been through college, in
tending to study for a doctor, but on
account OF his health had had to
change to his present occupation. He
earned big wages, dressed like gentle
man, and was q first chap man every
way.
When Johnny reached his room he
was all over in such q tremor CT ex-
citement that the tears actually stood
in his eyes, and he trembled so he had
to lean against the wall and gasp for
breath. AS soon as he could speak
he choked out the Words
"For Gods sake. tell me how I can
beat them ows!-show 'em I'm not
the stupid fool they take me for
And most OF all show me how to get
even with that mean whelp, Borlag!"
What makes the foreman so extra
down on you johnny" Fanch in
quired.
because I wouldn't set up an
eighth OF beer. 1t wasn't ON account
cared about the money, but PROM
ised mother would never have any,
thing to do with liquor that makes
men drunk"
He could have added that his faith
er's drunken habits had ruined their
home, made his mothers life one un-
broken reign OF destitution and mis-
cry. | learned that afterwards, as l
did that Johnny, ever since his tenth
year-by selling papers, as a shoe
black, in every way by which he could
earn an honest dollar-had been the
chief support OF his mother from the
day she was left perniless widow to
the period of her death. As was in
evitable, this early Introduction into
the role of enforced bread winning had
caused sad lack OF educational oppor-
tunities. In fact, when he came to the
factory he could bearly write his
name, and with difficulty spell his
way through a paragraph OF easy
reading.
think none OF the shop taunts cut
him so keenly as did the slurs cast at
his "wooden.headed ignorance" 1t
was constantly cried out that ne
couldn't tell "B from g bulls foot"
and that any one could see that he
had been 'raised in saw mill!''
This from Borlag. He was course
grained, ill.conditioned boor, particu-
larly vindictive when crossed in his
aims; great swiller Of beer, and firm
in belief that a man who refuses to
drink was q "white-livered sneak"
1t was rather curious, Johnny being
Brought up in the street, as it might
be said, and such a green looking Gus.
toner, that he should be so easily
stung. He was actually as finely SEN
sitive as B. woman. ts..~. !. ). 81, =
That makes me think we can't al
ways tell q fine nature by the outside
|husk. Sometimes there's almighty
Ifne.grained wood under the roughest
kind of bark, and frst-class human
souls, inside humbly looking exteriors.
What did George Fanch tell John